Frank misses his mother, who was killed in a car accident years before. She was abusive to him, and made money selling her body, but Frank still misses her. He tries to keep her from leaving him, and reform her evil ways, by killing young women and putting their scalps on mannequins which he displays around his apartment. Photographer Anna takes a picture of him in the park, and he pursues and befriends her. Is she the one he's been looking for or just another mommy wanna be?

You can lock your windows and doors...But you can't lock the madman out of your mind.

It will tear the life out of you.

Movie Quote(s):

Frank Zito: I told you not to go out tonight didn't I? Every time you go out this kind of thing happens.

Frank Zito: This has got to stop. It's silly, and it's not getting us anywhere. You think they don't know. They do. I heard it and I know. They all know, and I don't like it anymore. But you don't listen do you. It's got to stop. Oh, you're right about them, all of them. They're all the same. I know what they're like. Just because I can't do the things you do doesn't mean I don't see it all the same. "Fancy shmansy," and what are we supposed to do? Sit and smile and say "yes Miss, no miss, not now miss, whatever you say miss?" I know how it is with their hairs and their looks and they... they drive a man crazy! I didn't mean that. I didn't mean it that way. It's just that, they don't know when to stop. They never know when to stop. That's why they have to be stopped. It is you're right. You're right. But not like that, not that way. Please, they'll take you away from me. You have to be careful, not to listen to me. But I can't live like this. I have to go out and each time it's like this. I get so scared that they'll take you away. But they won't if you do what I say. They won't take you away, not ever I say. Not ever.

[looks down at his latest victim] Frank Zito: Now you tell me what I should do. I heard about it, I always do. I can't go out for a minute. It's impossible. Fancy girls, in their fancy dresses and lipstick, laughing and dancing. Should you stop them? I can't stop them. But you do, don't you? And they can't laugh and they can't dance anymore. You've got to stop, or they'll take you away from me. I will never, ever, let them take you away from me. You're mine now forever. And, I'm so happy.

Frank Zito: How come all your models are women? Anna D'Antoni: Well, it's just something I'm interested in, as a woman. In fact, this is my fourth series. It's called "Women Form". Not very original is it? Frank Zito: Well, it's not the title that matters that much. Anna D'Antoni: No, I guess not. Frank Zito: Do you get to keep them all? Anna D'Antoni: I'm hoping to sell them. Frank Zito: I wouldn't. I'd keep them forever. Anna D'Antoni: But why? Part of my profession is to sell photographs. It's not all for art's sake you know. Frank Zito: I know, but why do you take pictures of women this way? Anna D'Antoni: I like to make them look beautiful. Frank Zito: No, I think it's to preserve them. You see, the beauty is already in the model. Anna D'Antoni: Frank, don't be silly. Listen, I'm the photographer, right? Frank Zito: Right. Anna D'Antoni: So, I should know what I'm doing. Frank Zito: I know, but to me things change. People die. But in a picture or painting, they're yours forever. Anna D'Antoni: There's no way you can possess someone forever. Even in a photograph, there's no way.

Movie Trivia:

William Lustig and Joe Spinell, say they didn't always have the necessary permits to film on location in New York City. Certain scenes (including the infamous shotgun through the windshield scene) had to have been filmed quickly and afterwards the crew had to run away before the cops arrived.

Daria Nicolodi was originally cast to play Anna D'Antoni, but she was unable to go to New York for filming because she was still filming her scenes for the movie Inferno (1980) in Italy.

The opening scene on the beach was inspired by the opening scene from Jaws (1975) from the point-of-view of the stalking shark.

The headless corpse in the end is the Betsy Palmer corpse (Jason's mother) from Friday the 13th (1980/I). The helicopter shots are recycled footage from Inferno (1980).

The scenes in Frank Zito's tiny apartment were inspired by the Swedish thriller Mannen pĺ taket (1976) ("The Man on the Roof") with the claustrophobic setting and the quiet tone with a dripping faucet and occasional sound of traffic. The color and crude décor of the apartment and other sets were inspired from the color-theme sets of Italian horror thrillers such as Profondo rosso (1975) ("Deep Red"), Suspiria (1977), Sei donne per l'assassino (1964) and several others.